Missouri cyber crimes task forces get funds from lawsuit settlement;come just in time

The release of 21 and half million dollars means funds for Missouri programs that were doing without them.

The monies come from a lawsuit settlement and will bring eight million dollars to the states seven veterans homes and one and half million to cyber crimes task forces.

The funds come just in time for the local task force.

Thanks to the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, 55 year old Edward Hetherington of Noel is in federal prison. It found what investigators call a massive library of child pornography.

But the task force was ready to lose a member after funding was withheld for the bulk of the year.

Jasper county sheriff's Captain Derek Walrod says, “Smaller agencies that don't have the money, they're just completely out of it."

Kirksville Missouri completely shut down it's task force this year.

But Captain Charla Geller with Joplin Police Investigations says, “Barry county had to remove one of their officers and reassign him somewhere else. My understanding is he's gonna be able to come back to the task force."

That's because this week the governor allocated 1.5 million to cyber crimes task forces statewide. He used funds from a lawsuit settlement with ratings agency Standard and Poor's.

Scott Holste a spokesman for Governor Jay Nixon's office says of the lawsuit settlement, “This was a welcome shot in the arm. The governor has had to keep a tight rein on the budget to make sure we don't spend money that we don't have.”

He adds, “This is certainly something we've seen before and it came at a welcome time to be able to then have this money be made available for these particular programs where there had been appropriations made but there was not the money there.”

But use of settlement dollars, even if not a first concerns Captain Walrod, "Every year we're thankful for any money we get from grant funding however it makes you a little nervous when you find out it comes from a lawsuit settlement. Is next year the money gonna be there again?"

Investigators say they worry about funding every year but say the task force is critical to helping with crimes against children .

Captain Geller says, "We had an individual travel from Iowa coming down thinking he was gonna have sex with a ten year old. This is what people are actually doing."

Walrod adds, "We get people (predators) from out of state; Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas who come into Jasper County. It affects our juveniles or our kids that's who we want to protect."

Geller, "These are our weakest victims. These are the victims, they don't have a voice, don't have a say. They can't vote. These are our weakest victims so these are the individuals that need our help the most."

Captain Geller says cyber crimes staff have certifications that take years to earn and the released funding protects those professionals.

"If we would have task forces remove individuals and never put them back, it would take us years not just weeks or months years to get up to the speed we were before."

The task force received more than $200 thousand dollars in state grants in fiscal 2014 and asked for nearly $300 thousand in the 2015 grant . Next year's funding is part of the current budget debate and geller urges citizens to press lawmakers to fund it.

Other programs getting a funding boost now include sheltered workshops. For a complete list click here.

Charlotte is here seeking knowledge, to become a better gun owner. "You never know when it's going to be important to you if you get into a situation where you have to shoot someone" The law may allow conceal carry but when you use your weapon may not be crystal clear, so this session offered advice. "The common mishap is people who want to react to somebody trespassing on their property, make sure they understand. No, you don't just get to run outside with a gun and ...More >>

Charlotte is here seeking knowledge, to become a better gun owner. "You never know when it's going to be important to you if you get into a situation where you have to shoot someone" The law may allow conceal carry but when you use your weapon may not be crystal clear, so this session offered advice. "The common mishap is people who want to react to somebody trespassing on their property, make sure they understand. No, you don't just get to run outside with a gun and ...More >>

Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College is a national leader in producing Native American associate degree nurses. The publication "Diverse: Issues in Higher Education" put NEO at second on its annual list.

Northeastern Oklahoma A and M College is a national leader in producing Native American associate degree nurses. The publication "Diverse: Issues in Higher Education" put NEO at second on its annual list.